Capitalism and religion

Submitted by Mozere (United Kingdom), Oct 9, 2012 at 07:37

Capitalism existed since the stone age,use of money and industrial revolution made it so visible.Capitalism is simply the making or buying things to sell on at ahigher price.Capitalism is no more the invention of the West or Adam Smith as gravity is the invention of Newton.Both try to explain the workings of a reality.

Prophet of Islam was a merchant who bought things in arabia and sold them at a profit in Syria.If this isnot capitalism then what is.Did not the merchants of Turkestan spread Islam along the Silk Road,did not the merchants of Yemen and Oman and Bengal spread Islam to far east and east africa. These were muslims and merchants ie capitalists at the same time so how can you say real muslims must be against capitalism when your religion says it is halal to earn money through trade ie buying things cheaply and selling them on at a higher price. Sorry to spell it out so repetitively but I suspect you are a Imam Hatip scholar.You only make sense if you replace the word "Capitalism" with the word "West"

I think there is a communist trying to break out of you but you cannot bring yourself to say it as this will be denying the dogmas you were raised with since childhood.

As to giving to poor people, in well regulated capitalist countries rich people give 40 to 90 percent of their income and capital gains as taxes to the state which in turn looks after the poor ,sick and needy.You do not need zekat system to do this all you need is a just government. Zekat is only one in 40 of your wealth rich people in capitalist countries would be ecstatically happy with this rate.

Note: Opinions expressed in comments are those of the authors alone and not necessarily those of Daniel Pipes. Original writing only, please. Comments are screened and in some cases edited before posting. Reasoned disagreement is welcome but not comments that are scurrilous, off-topic, commercial, disparaging religions, or otherwise inappropriate. For complete regulations, see the "Guidelines for Reader Comments".